Feb 6, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Accused El Paso Walmart shooter faces federal hate crime charges

el paso walmart shooting memorial

Memorial at the Walmart in El Paso. Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

The suspect accused of killing 22 people and injuring two dozen others at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, last August has been charged with 90 counts under federal hate crime and firearms laws, AP reports, citing an indictment unsealed on Thursday.

Why it matters: Investigators found that 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, who confessed but entered a not guilty plea on a state capital murder charge last October, posted a manifesto aimed at scaring Hispanics into leaving the United States. The hate crime charges carry a possible death penalty.

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